This invention is related in general to communications systems and more specifically relates to systems and methods for interfacing communications systems and/or devices.
Systems for interfacing communications systems are employed in various demanding applications, including network routers, telecommunications gateways between packet-switched and circuit-switched networks, and controllers for transitioning multimode phones between different types of networks, such as cellular or WiFi networks. Such applications often demand versatile interfacing systems, such as gateways that enable communications between disparate networks, protocols, and/or devices.
Versatile interfacing systems are particularly important in conferencing applications, where many disparate types of conference systems and accompanying user-interface terminals, called endpoints, exist. The different types of conference systems may be mutually incompatible. For example, a conference controller or server for one type of conference system may not allow communications with another type of conference system. Furthermore, conference endpoints for one conference system may be incompatible with another.
A user may have multiple endpoints associated with different types of conference systems. The user is often limited to using the endpoint that is specifically designed or configured for a given type of conference system. Unfortunately, such incompatibilities between different types of conference systems and endpoints are problematic, such as when users of different types of conference systems and/or endpoints wish to intercommunicate.